A soul saved, while a loss for the enemy, is nowhere near as threatening as a heart transformed and sent out boldly and passionately to spread the word. So, the day you become a believer, rejoice yes, but first put on your armor because the Christian life well lived is a battle day in and day out to continually surrender your heart, mind, and life to the Lord. From the day of salvation on the goal of the enemy is to snuff out the flame of our faith. Be on guard Christian. The battle is real.

It was a Sunday afternoon, and there I sat on my kitchen floor, singing worship songs to the Lord while I waited for water to boil. I felt a weight on me because the Lord had given me a task and something was holding me back from walking confidently into what I knew He was calling me to.

When we intentionally spend time seeking out God’s hand in our lives and write down those moments so that we don’t forget them, we’ll begin to see how present He is, how faithfully He provides for us, how much we can trust Him, and how worthy of our love He truly is. We’ll be like the Psalm 77 writer and be confident and trusting in the Lord even in the midst of our trials.

With three littles under four running around, my life is loud, chaotic, and messy. I frequently feel more like a jungle gym than an actual human being. Dirty dishes perpetually crowd my sink, dirty diapers don’t always make it to the trash, and more toys than I care to count litter my living area just waiting to pierce my bare feet (ouch!). In the midst of all the madness, it can seem next to impossible to find rest.

God’s word is filled with the promise of freedom to those who abide, and yet so many of us find ourselves back in the chains Jesus set us free from again and again. Why is that? How do we find lasting freedom?

It’s hard to step out in faith; to make the decision and go. You have to choose to go right, go left, or stay the current path. So, how do you decide? What does it look like to submit to the Lord in any given situation? How do you know if you’re making the best decision for the long-term? How do you trust?

Friends, this is a critical moment in your journey to discern your place in God’s Kingdom and what He might be asking of you. It’s important to slow down here and really consider who is directing you. Are you inviting the Holy Spirit to guide you? I pray you do. This one enabler of your faith will dramatically change your ability to go forward confidently…even if not entirely unafraid. We remain human, of course, but we are empowered if only we choose to accept and engage our Holy Spirit advocate.

This journey has been a process. It has been hard and I have had to let go of plans, expectations, and comforts. I am here today because I keep calling on Him for where to place my next step. The process is much harder when I try to do it alone and if I have learned anything, it is to always run towards Him because even in the hurt, heartache, and adversity, He always knows. That is what has kept Imani (which means faith in Swahili) alive; always faithfully following him even if it involves no power and many bug stories along the way.

Jesus came to give us an abundant life because that’s part of God’s plan for us. But just as Jesus had to die before He could rise from death, we must also die to sin before we can step up into our place in His Kingdom; into the plans He has for us. But what does that really mean? And, if Jesus defeated sin, why does it really matter?

“'For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Jeremiah 29:11 Last week I encouraged you to take some time with the Lord and dream a little; to let Him speak...

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